Nevada County picayune., 1887-06-01

deadhead with him. The conduc. tor must have been on to him. but he made no objections. These deadheads were not unfOrtunates, but invariably well dressed, and seeming to have plenty of funds. They looked to me like tough characters, and my respect for the honesty and morality of the bag gageman was not a whit increased. He never introduced any of them to me, but afterwards remember ed how closely they slzed me up and inspected my end of the car. McCabe had been on the road about four months, when. one evening at seven o'clock, as we pulled out of the depot for the run east, two men got into the bag gage-car with him. They were cautious about it, getting on in the yards after the train was clear of the building. When 1 came to see them by the light in the car l dis covered that both of them had been over the road with him be- fore-nOt together, but singly, and at intervals. There was nothing in their appearance or conduct to arouse suspicion, however, and they gave me not the least atten- tention. l had my way.bills to check up and parcels to pat away, and this kept me busy for the first half hour.
 eAll the money going as far as Chicago was placed at the bottom of the safe. That to he handed out en route was at the top; on this occasion only three packages were to be delivered before reach ing Chicago, and as they contained less than s1OO each l laid them on the shelf, locked the safe and put the key in my pocket. We had made three stops and had come to a run of eight miles without sta ton, when 1 looked up and noticed the three men with their heads to- gether. It was suspicious thing only when l came to look back mp. on it. Of the eight-mile stretch there were five miles of spriney track where the speed of the train had to be reduced to about fifteen miles an hour, and we had only en- tered upon tms when McCabe called to me:
 Say. George, come and look over this trunk. There's such an internal smell that we've come to the conclusion there's dead body in it."
 The door in the partition was made of slats or pickets, and l could see out or one could see in. I rose up, unlocked it, and went to the other end of the car, where the three were grouped about a large trunk.
 "Just put your nose down here," said McCabe, his features at the same time wearing look of deep disgust.
 l bent over the trunk to get d sniff, and the next instant the three men seized me and bore me to the floor, one of them having his fingers on my throat so that l could not utter sound. They had lashings and gag at hand, and in three minutes I was tied hand and foot, and as helpless as one could he.
 "Sorry to use you this way, George" said the baggageman, as he fastened the gag in my mouth, but we must have that money, and we didn't want to crack you on the head. Now then, boys"
 One of them opened the sliding door while the other two went af- ter the safe. l don't suppose it was five minutes from the tune they seized me until they had thrown the safe out and followed it. My feet were dashed to han Gle of one of the trunks. my elbows pulled behind me and tied, and the gag would not permit to utter a sound. There was nothing to do but to let them go, but had had a good look at both the strangers, and I went to work to paint their portraits on my memory.
 My condition was discovered at the first stop, and the loss of that money raised an awful row. There was upwards of SSO,OM in the safe, but had there been less than a